Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #222571
Title: Suitability of Pines and Other Conifers as Hosts for the Invasive Mediterranean Pine Engraver (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) in North America

Author
item Lee, Jana
item FLINT, MARY LOUISE - UC DAVIS
item SEYBOLD, STEVEN - USDA FOREST SERVICE

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/6/2008
Publication Date: 6/2/2008
Citation: Lee, J.C., Flint, M., Seybold, S.J. 2008. Suitability of pines and other conifers as hosts for the invasive mediterranean pine engraver (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) in North America. Journal of Economic Entomology. 101(3):829-837.

Interpretive Summary: The Mediterranean pine engraver (MPE) is a bark beetle that lays eggs in the phloem layer of pine trees. When the eggs hatch, the developing larvae feed in the phloem which harms the tree. MPE was recently detected in California for the first time in 2004; it is originally from the Mediterranean region. A laboratory experiment was conducted to test the ability of MPE to develop on various conifer trees common in California and the United States. Adult male and female MPE were introduced into small holes drilled into various conifers and allowed to lay eggs. The number of new adult offspring that emerged was used to determine if development on a given conifer was successful. MPE was able to feed and develop on four pine species from the Mediterranean region - Aleppo, Canary Island, Italian stone, and Scots pines; 11 pines native to North America - eastern white, grey, jack, Jeffry, loblolly, Monterey, ponderosa, red, Sierra lodgepole, singleleaf pinyon and sugar pines; and four non-pine conifers native to North America - Douglas-fir, black and white spruce, and tamarack. MPE developed more poorly on Douglas-fir and tamarack. Fewer beetles completed development and were of smaller size on those conifers. Lastly, MPE did not develop on white fir, incense cedar and coast redwood.

Technical Abstract: The invasive Mediterranean pine engraver, Orthotomicus erosus (Wollaston), was detected in North America in 2004 and is currently distributed in the southern Central Valley of California. It originates from the Mediterranean region, the Middle East, and Asia, and reproduces on pines. To identify potentially vulnerable native and adventive hosts in North America, no-choice host range tests were conducted in the laboratory on 22 conifer species. The beetle reproduced on four pines from its native Eurasian range—Aleppo, Canary Island, Italian stone, and Scots pines; 11 native North American pines—eastern white, grey, jack, Jeffrey, loblolly, Monterey, ponderosa, red, Sierra lodgepole, singleleaf pinyon, and sugar pines; and four native non-pines—Douglas-fir, black and white spruce, and tamarack. Among non-pines, fewer progeny developed and were of smaller size on Douglas-fir and tamarack, but sex ratios of progeny were nearly 1:1 on all hosts. Lastly, beetles did not develop on white fir, incense cedar, and coast redwood. With loblolly pine, the first new adults emerged 42 d after parental females were introduced into host logs at temperatures of 20–33°C, and 523.5 or 334.7 accumulated degree-days based on lower development thresholds of 13.6 or 18°C, respectively.